General Provisions top § 420.01 Applicability. top (a) The provisions of this part apply to discharges and to the introduction of pollutants into a publicly owned treatment works resulting from production operations in the Iron and Steel Point Source Category.

(b) Central Treatment Facilities. (1) The following central treatment facilities presently discharging through the specified outfall are temporarily excluded from the provisions of this part, provided, the owner or operator of the facility requests the Agency to consider establishing alternative effluent limitations and provides the Agency with the information set out in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, on or before July 26, 1982.

(2) The information to be submitted with the request for consideration of alternative effluent limitations is to include:

(i) A schematic diagram of the existing wastewater treatment facility showing each source of wastewater, cooling water, and other waters entering the treatment facility; discharge and recycle flow rates for each water source and each major treatment component;

(ii) Existing monitoring data relating to discharges to and from the central treatment facility including pollutant concentrations, flows and mass loadings; As a minimum, monitoring data should be provided for a six month period of normal operation of the production and treatment facilities. The complete data as well as a data summary including the maximum, minimum, and mean gross discharge loadings and the standard deviation of the discharge loadings for each monitored pollutant should be provided. Any supplemental monitoring data for toxic pollutants should also be provided.

(iii) A scale map of the area of the plant served by the wastewater treatment facility, including the treatment facility and water supply and discharge points;

(iv) An estimate of the least costly investment required to meet the generally applicable limitations or standards for the facility and a description of such treatment system including schematic diagrams showing the major treatment system components and flow rates through the system. As a minimum, the cost estimates should be comprised of a single page summary for each water pollution control system showing estimated installed direct cost totals for mechanical equipment; piping and instrumentation; foundations and structural components; and, electrical components. Indirect costs for contingencies, overhead and profit, engineering fees, and any other indirect costs must be itemized separately. The sum of the direct and indirect costs which represents the owner's or operator's total estimate, must be shown.

(v) The effluent limitations or standards which could be achieved if the discharger were to spend an amount equal to the Agency's model treatment system cost estimate for the facility and the treatment facilities which would be used to meet those limitations or standards. Schematic diagrams and cost estimates as outlined in paragraph (b)(2)(iv) of this section, should be provided for each treatment system; and,

(vi) Production rates in tons per day for each process contributing wastewater to the central treatment facility consistent with those reported by the owner or operator in the NPDES permit application for the central treatment facility.

(3) The request described in subsection (b)(1) of this section, must be based upon the owner's or operator's belief that the cost of bringing the specified central treatment facilities into compliance with the provisions of this part would require expenditures so high compared to the Agency's model treatment system cost estimate applicable to that facility that the applicable limitations or standards would not represent BPT, BAT, BCT, or PSES, as the case may be, for the facility.

(q) The term pH means the value obtained by the standard method specified in 40 CFR 136.3.

(r) The term non-process wastewaters means utility wastewaters (for example, water treatment residuals, boiler blowdown, and air pollution control wastewaters from heat recovery equipment); treated or untreated wastewaters from groundwater remediation systems; dewatering water for building foundations; and other wastewater streams not associated with a production process.

(s) The term nitrification means oxidation of ammonium salts to nitrites (via Nitrosomas bacteria) and the further oxidation of nitrite to nitrate via Nitrobacter bacteria. Nitrification can be accomplished in either:

(1) A single or two-stage activated sludge wastewater treatment system; or

(2) Wetlands specifically developed with a marsh/pond configuration and maintained for the express purpose of removing ammonia-N.

Indicators of nitrification capability are:

(1) Biological monitoring for ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) to determine if the nitrification is occurring; and

(2) Analysis of the nitrogen balance to determine if nitrifying bacteria reduce the amount of ammonia and increase the amount of nitrite and nitrate.

(t) The term storm water from the immediate process area means storm water that comes into contact with process equipment located outdoors, storm water collected in process area and bulk storage tank secondary containment structures, and storm water from wastewater treatment systems located outdoors, provided that it has the potential to become contaminated with process wastewater pollutants for the particular subcategory. Storm water from building roofs, plant roadways, and other storm waters that do not have the potential to become contaminated with process wastewater pollutants are not storm water from the immediate process area.

(u) The term 2,3,7,8–TCDF means 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran.

[47 FR 23284, May 27, 1982, as amended at 67 FR 64260, Oct. 17, 2002]

§ 420.03 Alternative effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of best practicable control technology currently available, best available technology economically achievable, best available demonstrated control technology, and best conventional pollutant control technology (the “water bubble”). top (a) Except as provided in paragraphs (c) through (f) of this section, any existing or new direct discharging point source subject to this part may qualify for alternative effluent limitations to those specified in subparts A through M of this part, representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of best practicable control technology currently available (BPT), best available technology economically achievable (BAT), best conventional pollutant control technology (BCT), and best available demonstrated control technology (NSPS). The alternative effluent limitations for each pollutant are determined for a combination of outfalls by totaling the mass limitations allowed under subparts A through M of this part for each pollutant.

(b) The water bubble may be used to calculate alternative effluent limitations only for identical pollutants (e.g., lead for lead, not lead for zinc).

(c) [Reserved]

(d) A discharger cannot qualify for alternative effluent limitations if the application of such alternative effluent limitations would cause or contribute to an exceedance of any applicable water quality standards.

(e) Each outfall from which process wastewaters are discharged must have specific, fixed effluent limitations for each pollutant limited by the applicable subparts A through M of this part.

(f) Subcategory-specific restrictions:(1) There shall be no alternate effluent limitations for cokemaking process wastewater unless the alternative limitations are more stringent than the limitations in Subpart A of this part.

(2) There shall be no alternate effluent limitations for 2,3,7,8–TCDF in sintering process wastewater.

(3) There shall be no alternate effluent limitations for O&G in sintering process wastewater unless the alternative limitations are more stringent than the otherwise applicable limitations in subpart B of this part.

§ 420.04 Calculation of pretreatment standards. top (a) Pretreatment standards shall be calculated for each operation using the applicable average rate of production reported by the owner or operator of the facility to the Control Authority in accordance with 40 CFR 403.12(b)(3).

(b) The average rate of production reported by the owner or operator in accordance with 40 CFR 403.12(b)(3) shall be based not upon the design production capacity but rather upon a reasonable measure of actual production of the facility, such as the production during the high month of the previous year, or the monthly average for the highest of the previous 5 years. For new sources or new dischargers, actual production shall be estimated using projected production.

(c) If, due to a change of circumstances, the average rate of production for an operation reported by the owner or operator of the facility to the Control Authority in accordance with 40 CFR 403.12(b)(3) does not represent a reasonable measure of actual production of that operation, the owner or operator must submit to the Control Authority a modified average rate of production.

§ 420.05 Pretreatment standards compliance date. top The final compliance date for the categorical pretreatment standards set forth in 40 CFR part 420 is July 10, 1985.

[48 FR 46943, Oct. 14, 1983]

§ 420.06 Removal credits for phenols (4AAP). top Removal allowances pursuant to 40 CFR 403.7(a)(1) may be granted for phenols (4AAP) limited in 40 CFR part 420 when used as an indicator or surrogate pollutant.

[49 FR 21029, May 17, 1984]

§ 420.07 Effluent limitations guidelines and standards for pH. top (a) The pH level in process wastewaters subject to a subpart within this part shall be within the range of 6.0 to 9.0.

(b) The pH level shall be monitored at the point of discharge to the receiving water or at the point at which the wastewater leaves the wastewater treatment facility operated to treat effluent subject to that subpart.

[67 FR 64261, Oct. 17, 2002]

§ 420.08 Non-process wastewater and storm water. top Permit and pretreatment control authorities may provide for increased loadings for non-process wastewaters defined at §420.02 and for storm water from the immediate process area in NPDES permits and pretreatment control mechanisms using best professional judgment, but only to the extent such non-process wastewaters result in an increased flow.

[67 FR 64261, Oct. 17, 2002]

Subpart A—Cokemaking Subcategory top § 420.10 Applicability. top The provisions of this subpart are applicable to discharges and the introduction of pollutants into publicly owned treatment works resulting from by-product and other cokemaking operations.

[67 FR 64261, Oct. 17, 2002]

§ 420.11 Specialized definitions. top (a) For the cokemaking subcategory, the term product means the production of coke plus coke breeze.

(b) The term by-product cokemaking means operations in which coal is heated in the absence of air to produce metallurgical coke (furnace coke and foundry coke), and the recovery of by-products derived from the gases and liquids that are driven from the coal during cokemaking.

(c) The term cokemaking—non-recovery means cokemaking operations for production of metallurgical coke (furnace coke and foundry coke) without recovery of by-products. Does not include co-generation facilities located at non-recovery coke facilities.

(d) The term coke means a processed form of coal that serves as the basic fuel for the smelting of iron ore.

(1) The term foundry coke means coke produced for foundry operations.

(2) The term furnace coke means coke produced for blast furnace operations

(e) The term merchant coke plant means by-product cokemaking operations that provide more than fifty percent of the coke produced to operations, industries, or processes other than ironmaking blast furnaces associated with steel production.

(f) The term iron and steel coke plant means by-product cokemaking operations other than those at merchant coke plants.

(g) The term coke oven gas wet desulfurization system means those systems that remove sulfur and sulfur compounds from coke oven gas and generate process wastewater.

(h) The term coke breeze means fine coke particles.

(i) The term indirect ammonia recovery system means those systems that recover ammonium hydroxide as a by-product from coke oven gases and waste ammonia liquors.

(j) The term iron and steel means those by-product cokemaking operations other than merchant cokemaking operations.

(k) The term merchant means those by-product cokemaking operations that provide more than fifty percent of the coke produced to operations, industries, or processes other than ironmaking blast furnaces associated with steel production.

(m) The term wet desulfurization system means those systems that remove sulfur compounds from coke oven gases and produce a contaminated process wastewater.

[67 FR 64261, Oct. 17, 2002]

§ 420.12 Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology currently available (BPT). top Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to this subpart must achieve the following effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology currently available.

(1) Increased loadings, not to exceed 11 percent of the above limitations, are allowed for by-product coke plants which have wet desulfurization systems but only to the extent such systems generate an increased effluent volume.

(2) Increased loadings, not to exceed 27 percent of the above limitations, are allowed for by-product coke plants which include indirect ammonia recovery systems but only to the extent that such systems generate an increased effluent volume.

(1) Increased loadings, not to exceed 10 percent of the above limitations, are allowed for by-product coke plants which have wet desulfurization systems but only to the extent such systems generate an increased effluent volume.

(2) Increased loadings, not to exceed 25 percent of the above limitations, are allowed for by-product coke plants which include indirect ammonia recovery systems but only to the extent that such systems generate an increased effluent volume.

(c) Cokemaking—non-recovery. Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to this segment must achieve the following effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology currently available (BPT): There shall be no discharge of process wastewater pollutants to waters of the U.S.

[47 FR 23284, May 27, 1982, as amended at 67 FR 64262, Oct. 17, 2002]

§ 420.13 Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). top Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to this subpart must achieve the following effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT):

(1) Increased loadings, not to exceed 13.3 per cent of the above limitations, shall be provided for process wastewaters from coke oven gas wet desulfurization systems, but only to the extent such systems generate process wastewaters.

(2) Increased loadings shall be provided for process wastewaters from other wet air pollution control systems (except those from coal charging and coke pushing emission controls), coal tar processing operations and coke plant groundwater remediation systems, but only to the extent such systems generate process wastewaters and those wastewaters are co-treated with process wastewaters from by-product cokemaking wastewaters.

(3) Increased loadings, not to exceed 44.2 percent of the above limitations, shall be provided for water used for the optimization of coke plant biological treatment systems.

(b) Cokemaking—non-recovery. There shall be no discharge of process wastewater pollutants to waters of the U.S.

[67 FR 64262, Oct. 17, 2002]

§ 420.14 New source performance standards (NSPS). top New sources subject to this subpart must achieve the following new source performance standards (NSPS), as applicable.

(a) By-product cokemaking. (1) Any new source subject to the provisions of this section that commenced discharging after November 18, 1992, and before November 18, 2002, must continue to achieve the standards specified in §420.14 of title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, revised as of July 1, 2001, except as provided below. For toxic and nonconventional pollutants, those standards shall apply until the expiration of the applicable time period specified in 40 CFR 122.29(d)(1); thereafter, the source must achieve the effluent limitations specified in §420.13(a).

(2) The following standards apply with respect to each new source that commences construction after November 18, 2002:

(A) Increased loadings, not to exceed 13.3 per cent of the above limitations, shall be provided for process wastewaters from coke oven gas wet desulfurization systems, but only to the extent such systems generate process wastewaters.

(B) Increased loadings shall be provided for process wastewaters from other wet air pollution control systems (except those from coal charging and coke pushing emission controls), coal tar processing operations and coke plant groundwater remediation systems, but only to the extent such systems generate process wastewaters and those wastewaters are co-treated with process wastewaters from by-product cokemaking wastewaters.

(C) Increased loadings, not to exceed 44.2 percent of the above limitations, shall be provided for water used for the optimization of coke plant biological treatment systems.

(b) Cokemaking—non-recovery. There shall be no discharge of process wastewater pollutants to waters of the U.S.

§ 420.15 Pretreatment standards for existing sources (PSES). top Except as provided in 40 CFR 403.7 and 403.13, any existing source subject to this subpart that introduces pollutants into a publicly owned treatment works must comply with 40 CFR part 403 and must achieve the following pretreatment standards for existing sources (PSES):

(1) Increased loadings, not to exceed 13.3 per cent of the above limitations, shall be provided for process wastewaters from wet coke oven gas desulfurization systems, but only to the extent such systems generate process wastewaters.

(2) Increased loadings shall be provided for process wastewaters from other wet air pollution control systems (except those from coal charging and coke pushing emission controls), coal tar processing operations and coke plant groundwater remediation systems, but only to the extent such systems generate process wastewaters and those wastewaters are co-treated with process wastewaters from by-product cokemaking wastewaters.

(3) Increased loadings, not to exceed 44.2 percent of the above limitations, shall be provided for water used for the optimization of coke plant biological treatment systems.

(b) Cokemaking—non-recovery. There shall be no discharge of process wastewater pollutants to POTWs.

[67 FR 64263, Oct. 17, 2002]

§ 420.16 Pretreatment standards for new sources (PSNS). top Except as provided in 40 CFR 403.7, any new source subject to this subpart that introduces pollutants into a publicly owned treatment works must comply with 40 CFR part 403 and must achieve the following pretreatment standards for new sources (PSNS), as applicable.

(a) By-product cokemaking. (1) Any new source subject to the provisions of this section that commenced discharging after November 18, 1992 and before November 18, 2002 must continue to achieve the standards specified in §420.16 of title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, revised as of July 1, 2001, (except for the standards for phenols 4AAP) for ten years beginning on the date the source commenced discharge or during the period of depreciation or amortization of the facility, whichever comes first, after which the source must achieve the standards specified in §420.15(a).

(2) Except as provided in 40 CFR 403.7, the following standards apply with respect to each new source that commences construction after November 18, 2002:

(A) Increased loadings, not to exceed 13.3 percent of the above limitations, shall be provided for process wastewaters from coke oven gas wet desulfurization systems, but only to the extent such systems generate process wastewaters.

(B) Increased loadings shall be provided for process wastewaters from other wet air pollution control systems (except those from coal charging and coke pushing emission controls), coal tar processing operations and coke plant groundwater remediation systems, but only to the extent such systems generate process wastewaters and those wastewaters are co-treated with process wastewaters from by-product cokemaking wastewaters.

(C) Increased loadings, not to exceed 44.2 percent of the above limitations, shall be provided for water used for the optimization of coke plant biological treatment systems.

(b) Cokemaking—non-recovery. Except as provided in 40 CFR 403.7, the following standards apply with respect to each new source that commences construction after November 18, 2002: There shall be no discharge of process wastewater pollutants to POTWs.

§ 420.17 Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best conventional technology (BCT). top Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to this subpart must achieve the following effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best conventional technology.

(1) Increased loadings, not to exceed 11 percent of the above limitations, are allowed for by-product coke plants which have wet desulfurization systems but only to the extent such systems generate an increased effluent volume.

(2) Increased loadings, not to exceed 27 percent of the above limitations, are allowed for by-product coke plants which include indirect ammonia recovery systems but only to the extent that such systems generate an increased effluent volume.

(1) Increased loadings, not to exceed 10 percent of the above limitations, are allowed for by-product coke plants which have wet desulfurization systems but only to the extent such systems generate an increased effluent volume.

(2) Increased loadings, not to exceed 25 percent of the above limitations, are allowed for by-product coke plants which include indirect ammonia recovery systems but only to the extent that such systems generate an increased effluent volume.

(c) Cokemaking—non-recovery. Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to this segment must achieve the following effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best conventional pollutant control technology (BCT): There shall be no discharge of process wastewater pollutants to waters of the U.S.

[47 FR 23284, May 27, 1982, as amended at 67 FR 64264, Oct. 17, 2002]

§ 420.18 Pretreatment standards compliance dates. top Compliance with the pretreatment standards for existing sources set forth in §420.15 of this subpart is required not later than October 17, 2005 whether or not the pretreatment authority issues or amends a pretreatment permit requiring such compliance. Until that date, the pretreatment standards for existing sources set forth in Subpart A of title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, revised as of July 1, 2001, shall continue to apply.

[67 FR 64264, Oct. 17, 2002]

Subpart B—Sintering Subcategory top § 420.20 Applicability; description of the sintering subcategory. top The provisions of this subpart are applicable to discharges and to the introduction of pollutants into publicly owned treatment works resulting from sintering operations conducted by the heating of iron bearing wastes (mill scale and dust from blast furnaces and steelmaking furnaces) together with fine iron ore, limestone, and coke fines in an ignition furnace to produce an agglomerate for charging to the blast furnace.

§ 420.21 Specialized definitions. top As used in this subpart:

(a) For the sintering subcategory, the term product means sinter agglomerated from iron-bearing materials.

(b) The term dry air pollution control system means an emission control system that utilizes filters to remove iron-bearing particles (fines) from blast furnace or sintering off-gases.

(c) The term minimum level (ML) means the level at which the analytical system gives recognizable signals and an acceptable calibration point. For 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran, the minimum level is 10 pg/L per EPA Method 1613B for water and wastewater samples.

(d) The term pg/L means picograms per liter (ppt = 1.0×10–12 gm/L).

(e) The term sintering means a process for agglomerating iron-bearing materials into small pellets (sinter) that can be charged to a blast furnace.

(f) The term wet air pollution control system means an emission control system that utilizes water to clean process or furnace off-gases.

[67 FR 64264, Oct. 17, 2002]

§ 420.22 Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology currently available (BPT). top Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to this subpart must achieve the following effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology currently available (BPT).

(a) Sintering operations with wet air pollution control system. The following table presents BPT limitations for sintering operations with wet air pollution control systems:

(b) Sintering operations with dry air pollution control system. There shall be no discharge of process wastewater pollutants to waters of the U.S.

[67 FR 64264, Oct. 17, 2002]

§ 420.23 Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). top Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to this subpart must achieve the following effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available control technology economically achievable (BAT).

(a) Sintering operations with wet air pollution control system. The following table presents BAT limitations for sintering operations with wet air pollution control systems:

(b) Sintering operations with dry air pollution control system. There shall be no discharge of process wastewater pollutants to waters of the U.S.

[67 FR 64264, Oct. 17, 2002]

§ 420.24 New source performance standards (NSPS). top New sources subject to this subpart must achieve the following new source performance standards (NSPS), as applicable.

(a) Any new source subject to the provisions of this section that commenced discharging after November 18, 1992 and before November 18, 2002 must continue to achieve the applicable standards specified in §420.24 of title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, revised as of July 1, 2001, except that after the expiration of the applicable time period specified in 40 CFR 122.29(d)(1), the source must also achieve the effluent limitations specified in §420.23 for 2,3,7,8-TCDF.

(b) The following standards apply with respect to each new source that commences construction after November 18, 2002.

(1) Sintering operations with wet air pollution control system. The following table presents NSPS for sintering operations with wet air pollution control systems:

§ 420.25 Pretreatment standards for existing sources (PSES). top Except as provided in 40 CFR 403.7 and 403.13, any existing source subject to this subpart that introduces pollutants into a publicly owned treatment works must comply with 40 CFR part 403 and must achieve the following pretreatment standards for existing sources (PSES):

(a) Sintering operations with wet air pollution control system. The following table presents PSES for sintering operations with wet air pollution control systems: